What bit do you use for starting youngsters?

tobiano1984

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Just trying to work out what bit to start my 3yo warmblood with - there's so much to choose from! My instructor favours eggbutts, but most of the young horses I see for sale on the internet seem to be in loose rings.

And how much of a difference does fancy metal make at the early stages?

I've also seen people starting youngsters with bradoons as well, not sure how the smaller rings help?

At the moment mine seems to have quite a small mouth (takes a 5.25") and very low palette.

Hopefully some recommendations will help steer me and not just confuse further..!
 

eggs

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I always start mine in a snaffle with cheeks - it helps with the steering and stops the bit being pulled through their mouth.

Most of mine start in a NS Starter but one was in a straight bar Nathe.
 

dianchi

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I backed and started mine in a full cheek to help with Steering, and I have stuck with Egbutt types as found she played with a loose ring too much.
Double jointed is my preference and she seems to have accepted that well!
 

tobiano1984

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I always start mine in a snaffle with cheeks - it helps with the steering and stops the bit being pulled through their mouth.

Most of mine start in a NS Starter but one was in a straight bar Nathe.

Makes sense - a friend uses this on youngsters (with a lozenge joint), which I like the look of as the cheeks are shorter than normal Full Cheeks and less likely to catch on things! http://www.arkaequipe.com/collectio...nzini-titanium-full-cheek-snaffle-jointed-bit

I did stick a straight Nathe in to start with, which I've used on my dressage cob to start him, but the new youngster just chomped away on it and it's too expensive to leave it in..!
 

Under-the-radar

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My go to bit is a loose ring french link - but I have actually just changed my youngster to a single link egbutt - she is narrow in the jaw and slightly fussy, and the single link seems to suit her more.

I would still go for a loose ring french link to start off another horse though :)
 

ellie_e

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Started with a loose ring, the had a full cheek,all french link metal. Now have a d ring with rubber as want her to take the contact down. I would start with a loose ring and change if needed
 

Cortez

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I've always started with a rubber D-ring; the D's don't pull through the mouth, the rubber is warm and friendly in the mouth. If there are any problems down the road we would try a lozenge of some sort, or a straight bar depending on what the problem was, but most seem to do OK in that until we need to move on to a double.
 

fornema

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I use the NS starter bit, have always found that the horses i start dislike rubber bits and dont tend to settle in them very well.
 

Dusty85

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My 4yo is in a full cheek lozenge snaffle (same metal as NS bits). He seems to have taken to it well, likes playing with it but settles well.
 

ycbm

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Whatever mouthpiece suits the horse, but always either long cheeks or big Ds to aid early steering. When the horse needed a straight bar - difficult or impossible to get with full cheeks or D rings - I used a Pelham with no bottom rein and no curb with the cheek piece on the bit ring, and the top cheek piece ring cut off.
 
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